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Migraine    See images

Overview | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention

Definition:

A type of headache. See classic migraine (migraine with an aura); common migraine (migraine without an aura); mixed tension migraine (has features of both migraines and tension headache).

Causes and Risks

Migraines may occur when blood vessels of the head and neck spasm or constrict, which decreases blood flow, causing symptoms other than headache. Classic migraine is preceded by an aura, a group of symptoms that indicates a pending migraine headache. Common migraine is not.

Migraine headaches affect about 6 out of 100 people. They are a common type of chronic headache. Migraines most commonly occur in women and usually begin between the ages of 10 and 46. They appear to run in families in some cases. Classic migraine accounts for about one-sixth of all migraines. Common migraine and other (rare) forms account for the rest.

Triggers may include lack of sleep, MSG (monosodium glutamate), alcohol and stress.

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